On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that failing to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the United States for what he attributes to his role in resolving multiple conflicts would be an “insult” to the nation.
Trump, who has long aimed for the prize, made this comment the day after revealing his plan to end the conflict in Gaza. The Nobel winner will be announced on October 10.
During a speech in front of high-ranking American military leaders, Trump posed the question, “Will you receive a Nobel Prize? Absolutely not. They will award it to someone who has done nothing at all.”
He added, “That would be a huge insult to our country. I don’t want it; I want the country to win it,” asserting, “It should be awarded to us, as something like this has never happened before.”
Trump has consistently expressed his displeasure regarding Barack Obama receiving the prize in 2009 shortly after assuming the presidency. In his address on Tuesday, he reiterated his claim of having ended seven wars since regaining the presidency in January.
He outlined that if his recent proposal to conclude the Gaza conflict, announced at a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the White House on Monday, proves successful, “we will have concluded eight wars in eight months. That’s quite impressive.”
Hamas has yet to respond to the proposal, though Trump’s chances for the Nobel Peace Prize this year are considered nearly nonexistent in Oslo, the prize committee’s home.
Historian Eivind Stenersen, who has conducted multiple studies and contributed to a book on the Nobel Peace Prize, commented to AFP that “it is utterly unimaginable.”
Moreover, the Norwegian Nobel Committee confirmed that Trump’s campaigns would have no impact on its decisions.
Recently, Christian Berg Harpviken, the committee’s secretary, mentioned to AFP, “Of course, we are aware of the significant media attention focused on certain candidates.” He continued, “However, this has no influence on the ongoing discussions within the committee.”
The Trump administration has recently listed the seven wars he claims to have ended, which include those between Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.
However, while Trump strives to take credit for these achievements, many of what he cites remain either partial accomplishments or outright inaccuracies.